The CompTIA Security+ certification is a vendor-neutral credential. The CompTIA Security+ exam is an internationally recognized validation of foundation-level security skills and knowledge, and is used by organizations and security professionals around the globe.

The CompTIA Security+ exam will certify the successful candidate has the knowledge and skills required to install and configure systems to secure applications, networks,and devices;perform threat analysis and respond with appropriate mitigation techniques;participatein risk mitigation activities;andoperate with an awareness of applicable policies, laws, and regulations. The successful candidate will perform these tasks to supportthe principles of confidentiality, integrity,and availability.

The CompTIA Security+ certification is aimed at an IT security professional who has:

• A minimum of two years’experience in ITadministration with a focus on security
• Day-to-day technicalinformation security experience
• Broad knowledge of security concerns and implementation including the topics in the domain list below

Module 1: Threats, Attacksand Vulnerabilities

Types of malware

• Viruses
• Crypto-malware
• Ransomware
• Worm
• Trojan
• Rootkit
• Keylogger
• Adware
• Spyware
• Bots
• Logic bomb
• RAT
• Backdoor

Compare and contrast types of attacks.

• Social engineering
• Application/service attacks
• Wireless attacks
• Cryptographic attacks

Threat actor types and attributes.

• Types of actors
• Attributes of actors
• Use of open-source intelligence

Explain penetration testing concepts.

• Active reconnaissance
• Passive reconnaissance
• Pivot
• Initial exploitation
• Persistence
• Escalation of privilege
• Black box
• White box
• Gray box
• Pen testing vs. vulnerability scanning

Vulnerability scanning concepts.

• Passively test security controls
• Identify vulnerability
• Identify lack of security controls
• Identify common misconfigurations
• Intrusive vs. non-intrusive
• Credentialed vs. non-credentialed
• False positive

The impactassociated with types of vulnerabilities.

• Race conditions
• Vulnerabilities
• Improper input handling
• Improper error handling
• Misconfiguration/weak configuration
• Default configuration
• Resource exhaustion
• Untrained users
• Improperly configured accounts
• Vulnerable business processes
• Weak cipher suites and implementations
• Memory/buffer vulnerability
• System sprawl/undocumented assets
• Architecture/design weaknesses
• New threats/zero day
• Improper certificate and key management

Module 2: Technologies and Tools

Install and configure network components

• Firewall
• VPN concentrator
• NIPS/NIDS
• Router
• Switch
• Proxy
• Load balancer
• Access point
• SIEM
• DLP
• NAC
• Mail gateway
• Bridge
• SSL/TLS accelerators
• SSL decryptors
• Media gateway
• Hardware security module

Use appropriate software toolsto assess the security posture of an organization

• Protocol analyzer
• Network scanners
• Wireless scanners/cracker
• Password cracker
• Vulnerability scanner
• Configuration compliance scanner
• Exploitation frameworks
• Data sanitization tools
• Steganography tools
• Honeypot
• Backup utilities
• Banner grabbing
• Passive vs. active
• Command line tools

Troubleshoot common security issues.

• Unencrypted credentials/clear text
• Logs and eventsanomalies
• Permission issues
• Access violations
• Certificate issues
• Data exfiltration
• Misconfigured devices
• Weak security configurations
• Personnel issues
• Unauthorized software
• Baseline deviation
• License compliance violation(availability/integrity)
• Asset management
• Authentication issues

Analyze and interpret output from securitytechnologies

• HIDS/HIPS
• Antivirus
• File integrity check
• Host-based firewall
• Application whitelisting
• Removable media control
• Advanced malware tools
• Patch management tools
• UTM
• DLP
• Data execution prevention
• Web application firewall

Deploy mobile devices securely.

• Connection methods
• Mobile device management concepts
• Enforcementand monitoring
• Deployment models

Implement secure protocols.

• Protocols
• Use cases

Module 3: Architecture and Design

Explain use cases and purpose for frameworks

• Industry-standard frameworks and reference architectures
• Benchmarks/secure configuration guides
• Defense-in-depth/layered security

Implement secure network architecture concepts.

• Zones/topologies
• Segregation/segmentation/isolation
• Tunneling/VPN
• Security device/technology placement
• SDN

Implement secure systems design.

• Hardware/firmware security
• Operating systems
• Peripherals

Explain the importance of secure staging deployment concepts.

• Sandboxing
• Environment
• Secure baseline
• Integrity measurement

Explain the security implications of embedded systems.

• SCADA/ICS
• Smart devices/IoT
• HVAC
• SoC
• RTOS
• Printers/MFDs
• Camera systems
• Special purpose

Summarize secure application development and deployment concepts.

• Development life-cycle models
• Secure DevOps
• Version control and change management
• Provisioningand deprovisioning
• Secure coding techniques
• Code quality and testing
• Compiled vs. runtime code

Summarize cloud and virtualization concepts

• Hypervisor
• VM sprawl avoidance
• VM escapeprotection
• Cloud storage
• Cloud deployment models
• On-premise vs. hosted vs. cloud
• VDI/VDE
• Cloud access security broker
• Security as a Service

How resiliency and automation strategies reduce risk.

• Automation/scripting
• Templates
• Master image
• Non-persistence
• Elasticity
• Scalability
• Distributive allocation
• Redundancy
• Fault tolerance
• High availability
• RAID

Explain the importance of physical security controls.

• Lighting
• Signs
• Fencing/gate/cage
• Security guards
• Alarms
• Safe
• Secure cabinets/enclosures
• Protected distribution/Protected cabling
• Airgap
• Mantrap
• Faraday cage
• Lock types
• Biometrics
• Barricades/bollards
• Tokens/cards
• Environmental controls
• Cable locks
• Screen filters
• Cameras
• Motion detection
• Logs
• Infrared detection
• Key management

Module 4: Identity and Access Management

Compare and contrast identity and access management concepts.

• Identification, authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA)
• Multifactor authentication
• Federation
• Single sign-on
• Transitive trus

Install and configure identity and access services.

• LDAP
• Kerberos
• TACACS+
• CHAP
• PAP
• MSCHAP
• RADIUS
• SAML
• OpenID Connect
• OAUTH
• Shibboleth
• Secure token
• NTLM

Implement identity and access management controls.

• Access control models
• Physical access control
• Biometricfactors
• Tokens
• Certificate-based authentication
• File system security
• Database security

Differentiatecommon account managementpractices.

• Account types
• General Concepts
• Account policy enforcement

Module 5: Risk Management

Importance of policies.

• Standard operating procedure
• Agreement types
• Personnel management
• General security policies

Summarize business impact analysisconcepts.

• RTO/RPO
• MTBF
• MTTR
• Mission-essential functions
• Identification of critical systems
• Single point of failure
• Impact
• Privacy impact assessment
• Privacy threshold assessment

Risk management processes and concepts.

• Threat assessment
• Risk assessment
• Change management

Follow incident responseprocedures.

• Incident response plan
• Incident response process

Summarizebasic concepts of forensics.

• Order of volatility
• Chain of custody
• Legal hold
• Data acquisition
• Preservation
• Recovery
• Strategicintelligence/counterintelligence gathering
• Track man-hours

Disaster recoveryand continuity of operation concepts.

• Recovery sites
• Order of restoration
• Backup concepts
• Geographic considerations
• Continuity of operationplanning

Compare and contrast various types of controls.

• Deterrent
• Preventive
• Detective
• Corrective
• Compensating
• Technical
• Administrative
• Physical

Carry out data security and privacypractices.

• Data destruction and media sanitization
• Data sensitivity labeling and handling
• Data roles
• Data retention
• Legal and compliance

Module 6: Cryptography and PKI

Compare and contrast basic concepts of cryptography.

• Symmetric algorithms
• Modes of operation
• Asymmetric algorithms
• Hashing
• Salt, IV, nonce
• Elliptic curve
• Weak/deprecated algorithms
• Key exchange
• Digital signatures
• Diffusion
• Confusion
• Collision
• Steganography
• Obfuscation
• Stream vs. block
• Key strength
• Session keys
• Ephemeral key
• Secret algorithm
• Data-in-transit
• Data-at-rest
• Data-in-use
• Random/pseudo-random number generation
• Key stretching
• Implementation vs. algorithm selection
• Perfect forward secrecy
• Security through obscurity
• Common use cases

Cryptography algorithms and their basic characteristics.

• Symmetric algorithms
• Cipher modes
• Asymmetric algorithms
• Hashing algorithms
• Key stretching algorithms
• Obfuscation

Install and configure wireless security settings.

• Cryptographic protocols
• Authentication protocols
• Methods

Implement public key infrastructure.

• Components
• Concepts
• Types of certificates
• Certificate formats